After Life
by LittleMissMidnight
Summary: Everything was perfect. Serah was finally reunited with her sister and everyone could finally could live their life in peace. But fate is a cruel thing and plays with their lives once again. But it is this cruelty that brings two friends closer than they could ever imagine. NoelxSerah -oneshot-


**After Life**

* * *

Disasters were something the Farron's sisters were use to and something they honestly were tired to face against. Years – centuries of their lives they jumped through different times to fix the problems they didn't expect to happen in their lifetimes in order to save each other. But now, everything was over. They were back home. She was going to university while her older sister contemplated if she wanted to still be a soldier. After all the fighting she had done to save her, Serah didn't know if she would be surprised or sad if she stayed.

It was a good year – steady friendships and broken bonds fixed. Though as Serah glanced at her sister who was driving her to her first day she could sense the lost that she could not save Snow for her. Sometimes she wondered if she suffered more of Snow's lose than she did. Serah could remember asking if he really did turn into a Cie'th but Light's lips stayed sealed. But not everything was lost. Somehow through the confusion the ex-savior was able to save Noel, her dear friend from the chaos. To Serah, that was enough. She knew Lightning tried. And that was enough for her.

With a yawn, Serah leaned over; resting against her head lightly the car door as Lightning drove on. Noel sat in the back seat, chattering and asking questions about things he never saw at the end of his time. He nearly sounded like a five year old seeing a carnival for the first time – which Noel hasn't seen either. But with the fate of the world off their shoulders it wouldn't be very long until the young man could see the carnival for himself.

Noel simply came because Light couldn't trust him with all the technology in her home. Sometimes Noel would jump whenever the television would go on and think the world was ending again, same went with the microwave.

"Tired?" A hand ran past her cheek soothingly and Serah stared back a response.

"Don't take your hand off the steering wheel, Sis." Serah spoke in a worried tone.

That was dangerous. Though she trusted her sister was more than a capable driver she couldn't help but feel concerned. It had only been a few years since they were finally greeted a happy and new life but the the sense of danger would linger long between the three of them.

Lightning scoffed lightly as she turned her eyes back on the road. A red light was coming and the small car pulled up to a stop. The traffic was heavy during peak hour but simple things like traffic didn't bother the older Farron as much. In fact she didn't mind it – she didn't mind taking a slow pace. As long she could enjoy the world she fought so hard to save she didn't mind.

But the grudge of not saving the man her sister love so much lingered with her. Perhaps if given more time, she could feel the same she did after all, Snow carried every personality their late father had. Maybe that was why she hated him so much in the begining because she feared her sister would lose him to his foolish mistakes.

She could have saved him but she held back when her blade touched his neck. Then Lumina came along and well…Lightning was tired to try to remember what happened next. She didn't want to remember Snow like that so…desperate and cold.

The green light suddenly lights up and their lane was ready to go.

Then there was an accident that shouldn't have happened, but the cruel fate of destiny decided to do it anyways. The three of them heard the sound of a car horn being honked repeatedly and turned at once. There was a truck heading straight for them and the driver inside was flailing in panic as he continuous slammed his hand against the honk. Likely, his brakes failed, making it impossible for him to stop the speeding object.

Destiny wasn't finished playing with their lives after all.

Lightning quickly switched the car back on drive, but her foot didn't make it to the gas pedal. The truck ran into them, sending the small car the three of them occupied into the air. Everything suddenly fell dark for a moment as the car rolled around. A low thud was heard, followed by gasps of pain. Serah felt her forehead collide with something hard as her vision grew blurry.

Noel was in her peripheral vision. The young man was struggling to move, though his left arm looked like it was bending at a wrong angle. She wanted to reach over to him and tell things were alright but she could barely move her body as the pain was getting too much.

"…Lightning?" Serah muttered as she reached her hand towards the driver's side, trying to check on her sister's condition. Her hand connected with her smooth skin, which didn't seem she had from her tough-like or badass personality and then she came across something sticky and wet.

Serah brought Light's hand towards her face, trying to focus on them. And like a flicker of hope her sister's eyes opened half lit, but it didn't seem it was going to last. Her head turned to face her dear sister and a smile was seen on her face.

"S-Sorry Serah, I didn't mean to…"

With the little strength she had, the youngest sister shook her head telling it was not. But Light was not talking about the accident.

"I'm sorry I didn't save Snow for you."

"Shh." Serah cooed. "Now isn't the time."

Her sapphire eyes gazed back at Noel and noticed he had his eyes half lit as well, trying to look strong but the pain wasn't letting him so. Their eyes crossed for a moment and the young man tired to cock up a smile. Serah wanted to reply with a smile of her own but the pain was too much. But she appreciated how strong he was being for her even now Snow was gone.

"Serah," Lightning's voice was weakening. "It is." She corrected as the older sister closed her eyes for a moment. "Stay strong, promise me."

She tried but her body was shutting down and in the end, all she saw before she passed out was red. Red blood - Lightning's blood on her hands in the car staining her pale notebooks and texts.

It was cruel because she didn't even have the strength to cry and accept that those words were going to be her last.

And then suddenly, in a blink of an eye the funeral took a place a week after.

Noel sat on his wheel chair, having no choice but let Vanille to push him around since his arms were too weak to be used as they were just as bruised and battered as the rest of his body. He got a slight concussion, along with a banged up hip. A few days of hospitalization later and he was released with a doctor's order to stay on the wheel chair for a while. Noel didn't like being treated like a child, but for this once, he didn't mind. Looking around his eyes locked on a certain girl sitting alone in the corner of the room.

Serah, with her eyes already red from crying and seemed like she had no more tears to shed, suddenly did as tears were seen gathering on her lashes. She sat in the corner with her leg in a cast with crutches by the side, leaning on the side of her seat.

Both of them had survived but while the person Serah cared for died. First their parents, then Snow and now Lightning. She couldn't understand anything anymore. How long must she lose before she could be really happy? Maybe it was just best she refused her sister's offer to come back to life. She didn't mind being dead now knowing both Snow and Light were there now.

"I just got her back too." Serah muttered as she closed her eyes, pushing back all the emotions that flooded her chest.

She just wanted to sit in the corner and let the misery eat her alive, but she couldn't like in the world of magic and chaos, so that was no longer an option. But after losing Snow there was her dear sister and Noel by her side, but even now she was gone. The young teacher contemplated if life was worth living anymore.

"Maybe it is best if I just died along with her."

"Hey that's no way to look at life now is it?"

Her head perked up at hearing the voice. As Noel was wheeled over to the destroyed girl and Vanille took her leave Noel knew he had to do something. He was given a chance back to live and he wanted to make every second count. Serah taught this to him once and Lightning reminded him of this when his soul was saved. Now he wanted to teach that back to Serah. With the energy he had, he placed his hand on the petite girl's head.

He knew she was trying to be brave – he could see it in her eyes. She attempted to smile for him, ready to say words like 'thank you' for the condolences he had offered like she had done with the other people at the funeral. But when her sapphire eyes landed on the bandages Noel had around his head and the cast his arm was in, something changed. Her lips – which had begun to tip up to form a bleak smile – trembled. She bit down on them to stop them from further quivering but to no avail.

"It's okay." Noel leaned closer, placing her softly on his chest. The pain hurt, since he still had a bruise there from the accident, but it was a good pain. "It wasn't your fault."

"…Noel." Her voice was weak and depressed. But as she reached the last syllables of his name it carried some sort of hope and…gladness.

Finally, Serah allowed her tears to fall. She was mostly silent but for a few occasional whimper that managed to escape. Noel sat by her side without a single complaint or joke to cheer her up except that her tears were soaking up the front of his shirt. He decided to mention it after her tears had stopped.

"I'll take care of you. Now that Snow and Lightning are gone." He paused and waited for Serah's fragile eyes meet his. "Forever,"

It wasn't often that the he spoke anything sincere but when he did, he meant it from the bottom of his heart. After all, it was Lightning that reminded him of the feeling that there was somebody out there, after the thirteen days were over, somebody was waiting for him. He knew he was going to have a huge group of people welcoming him back but it was Serah that he was looking forward to the most to see again.

Days passed and he looked after Serah the way he remembered Lightning would have done. After the world was saved Lighting and Serah agreed to let him stay as they taught and showed him things that he only read in books. Eventually he felt confident to go out and by the grocery on his own, of course there were times where he needed Gadot or the other NORA members to guide him back home. Noel always made sure she was eating properly and to distract her from the sadness he sometimes helped her in her classes and sometimes held surprise parties with the help of her students whenever the school holidays came about.

He smiled every time he could and laugh even if the jokes her students made were not that great. After all, all Noel wanted to see was that smile he remembered seeing all the time during their travels in time. It was that smile that helped him when he was down. So he wanted his smile to do the same to her.

"Noel." He suddenly heard her voice after one of her classes. "Why are you doing this?"

The young man rose to his feet after packing away the art equipment her student's had been used for the afternoon. "Because I promised Snow and Lightning I would."

"But I don't want you to waste your life in order to look after me. Lightning gave you a new life, in a world that isn't at the end of time."

Noel smiled and patted Serah's shoulders. She always worried about him too much. "I'm not wasting it Serah. Just to be with you is enough for me."

And from that moment, Serah didn't worry anymore. In fact, gladness overwhelmed her knowing that there was somebody out there that wanted her as much as she wanted them.

A year later, they went out together for the first time, completely on their own. Another six months passed and Serah slipped her hand into Noel's shyly and for some reason he didn't try to move it away. Noel wanted to hold her hand tighter but he felt it was too soon and too fast as he simply enjoyed the fragile hand within his. One day both eventually came where they did things more intimate than the usual best of friends would of. It was another year or two before he wanted to call her his 'wife'

Serah couldn't explain the joy when he heard those words from him. She couldn't explain how much she wanted him to be his 'husband'

For her, there was no reason to say no. He had promised to take care of her forever and he did this without a single complaint. Noel stood by her side and reminded her of the life her sister gave back to her. When Noel finally heard those famous words he jumped for joy and lifted her off her feet as her sweet laughter filled the air.

Months went by and soon the night before Serah would put on that famous white dress came. The brunette pushed Serah's pink strands of hair pass her face, hoping he wouldn't wake her up. But to no avail the bride to be eyes flicked and a smile soon followed. But Noel didn't share the smile she had.

"It's not fair to you." He spoke. "We don't have to be married for me to watch over you, Serah."

He was not the one for doubt but the idea of marriage originally belonged to a tall sturdy man with short blond hair. He shouldn't be in the same timeline as her. For a moment he felt he had stolen his girl.

"Lightning will be mad. I bet she'll come straight out of her grave to murder us both." She giggled as she cupped her hands on his cheeks. "It's alright, I know Snow. He always wanted me to be happy even if it was never with him."

Noel placed his forehead on Serah's bare chest and closed his eyes, "But I shouldn't even be here. I should be back in that desolated town with only Yeul and Caius with me."

"But destiny had different plans for you – _for us_."

Somehow the warm words his wife to be spoke made him think suddenly that maybe life was somewhat fair. He wasn't the only one broken. Perhaps, just because, upon merging, their broken pieces of soul would become whole once more. After all, he always wanted to live in a world that everything was perfect. And Noel knew that Serah was the only one that could give this to him.

And when she said 'I do' the next morning, he had no regrets.

The two of them lived well for years after. They made two adorable children. The male looked like his father, with dark brown hair and wonderful blue eyes. He was, however, just as shy as his mother and was not too fond of the meals he cooked. Their little girl looked a lot like her mother but with a lighter shade of pink hair – nearly the same shade as their late aunty. She even carried the smile sweet smile that Lightning once had. Sometimes whenever his little girl would push her hair over one shoulder he would mistaken her as a younger version of Lightning.

Noel didn't want to pick favorites but he felt closer to his little girl, he loved holding her on his lap and telling her stories he remembered as a child. Sometimes he would tell his stories about him and Serah and their journey through time. Now thinking about those times, he was glad all of those times happened.

And every time he would return from work the man would open his arms wide and chuckle at his two children rushing over, telling to the other that they would reach their father first. As he fell to the floor with his children in his arms the laughter of the three made their mother smile from the kitchen. Her hairstyle still remaining the same - a loose ponytail to the right. As her hands ran the soap off their dishes she glanced at their wedding ring on her finger before looking back at her husband, now sitting down on the carpet telling any interesting stories from work.

Sometimes she would see Snow in his place for a brief moment before her sights fixed back on Noel. Did she love him because he would remind her of her old fiancée? Serah was confident that was not the case. She loved and married Noel for who he was, not who he reminded her of.

All was well, until fate decided to be cruel to her once again.

Same setting only this time, it was her in the driver's seat with Noel by her side. The family was out at a festival. The children were fast asleep in the backseat and their their father was resting on the car door after hours of driving. They would always exchange driving when it came to long road trips. It was almost like a déjà vu. Behind them, a truck sneaked up. Just like last time.

Once again red filled her vision. Only this time, it was her own blood. Her own blood staining nearly every wall of their family car. She glanced back over to her children and noticed their cries. Although that was the only thing they seem to be suffering from was a sore rib or so. Her heart slowed down slightly, she couldn't afford to lose any of her children.

But the same feeling started to haunt her as she saw her blood on Noel's hands. Her life pouring out of her and to him. His eyes filled with the same fear she had when she was in his place so many years ago on that fateful day, where her dear sister decided to say goodbye. She finally understood why she spoke those things, the pain, the awful pain felt horrible. If she just admitted that everything was over than the pain was gone.

Then she would be reunited with her dear sister. There she could tell her stories about falling in love with Noel, marrying him and telling of all the wonderful memories she shared with him and their children. Maybe even ask for Snow to forgive her for not marrying him like she promised.

"Noel…"Her voice was weak. "Stop crying. It will be over soon."

"No!" Her husband screamed like a little child. "After all we have been through, after the years I've suffered without you by my side I can't accept you to die!"

Their children's cries broke her heart. They shared the same passion like their fahter to convince their mother to live on.

"Noel, ever since I turned into an I'Cie and turned to crystal I was already dead. I just cheated death and this is now my punishment." More blood flowed out of her.

With the little sensation she had left she could feel her husband place her weak hand on his cheek, her blood staining his face. "Just promise me when you wake up you'll be with us. Don't' die. Please Serah."

The woman gave off a smile before feeling her whole body black out.

And the next thing she could remember was hearing her husband's screaming voice, screaming 'no' over and over again. She was being transported to the surgery room. Serah just managed to open her eyes to hear Noel's desperate cries.

"Not again. Not again! Please, Serah. Don't let me lose you. You're the only thing I have!"

She wanted to laugh. When Lightning died it was her screaming those words to her. Fate was such a cruel thing.

The pain in his voice was too much to bear. Serah tried to reach up, to brush away his tears, but she couldn't move her arm.

It seemed as if her body decided to stop listening to her commands. In the moments just before her death, Serah felt utter panic. She was worried for Noel, the man that swore his whole life to protect her. Ever since Lightning had died he was there. He could of moved on, find Yeul like he wanted when they travelled together. But instead he chose her. A strange girl her sister told him to find and protect. Funny enough, Snow said something similar along those lines when they met.

Who would support him now that she was going to die? Who would hold her children at her funeral? But then she saw Noel with their children. Right. Serah still had the children. She would live on for them. She was going to be alright.

With that brief moment of panic over, she felt once peace. She sank back, her eyelids dropping.

The woman closed her eyes and when they flicked open once again Noel was by her bed side. He had fallen asleep by her side with his head on the mattress she was on, her children asleep on the couches in her room.

With her fragile fingers she pushed her husband's fringe to one side and smiled at the way he slept. Even now they had aged he remained just as handsome and just as committed to be by her side since the day she lost her sister. Serah knew she had to keep on going for the both of them. After all, Noel couldn't protect her if she was gone.

Her hand reached down to her husband and held it tightly as she leaned deeper into her pillow and her eyes closed for rest. Before falling into deep slumber she felt Noel hold onto her hand tightly before he too, returned back into slumber. She could imagine Noel smiling as he held her hand.

"Tired?" A transparent hand touched her cheek gently; this caused Serah to stay awake for a few seconds longer.

"…Light." She smiled. "Yeah, but I'll stay strong, like you promised." And soon the young mother fell into slumber.

Lightning smiled.

Everything was just going to be fine.

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**A/N: **After watching these trailers about LR I can't help but have my feels all over the place. I know SE are great when it comes to emotions but man, is all this Snow hatin Light really needed? Are we not going to talk about poor Noel who has never smiled since Serah died?

So as much I want to write a sad NoelxSerah fic I just couldn't. Ahhh, if Noel doesn't see Serah in this game I will lose it. I ship them so much.

And because of that, I wrote this.

I'm too committed to my ships. lol.

**~midnight**


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